Pro-democracy activists protests in former Swaziland

Pro-democracy activists in Eswatini, the southern African kingdom previously known as Swaziland, have vowed to intensify demonstrations against the monarchy until it makes democratic reforms and lifts its ban on all opposition parties. The small mountain kingdom has been rocked by pro-democracy demonstrations over the past three days and videos of people burning tires and barricading streets in the largest city, Manzini, and the central town of Matsapha have been circulating on social media.

To quell the unrest the government on Tuesday ordered all businesses to close by 3:30 p.m. and a strict curfew to have all residents off the streets from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. Schools were told to close immediately. "I have been running for the past 6km trying to get hold of my kid. It is a bad situation you can't even pass through the gates it's so bad and you can't even drive," said parent Nzimisa.

The demonstrators are demanding a democratic government that will serve the interests of the people, said Sakhile Nxumalo of the Swaziland Youth Congress, which is involved in the demonstrations. King Mswati III, Africa's last remaining absolute monarch who has ruled the country for more than three decades, is accused by the demonstrators of human rights abuses and running a repressive government.

His family, including 15 wives, is accused of enjoying a lavish lifestyle while most of the country's 1.1 million people are impoverished, according to human rights groups. Political parties were banned in the country in 1973 and are barred from participating in parliamentary elections. The Eswatini government on Tuesday denied claims that the king had fled the country.